St. Cloud man gets 16 years for role in May 2022 homicide

ST. CLOUD — A Stearns County judge on Monday sentenced a 55-year-old St. Cloud man to 16 years in prison for his role in the fatal shooting of a St. Cloud man two years ago.

Paul E. Coleman was charged with two felony counts following the death of 38-year-old St. Cloud resident Michael Batsche, who was shot in the head at a southside residence in May 2022.

In February, Coleman pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree murder as part of a deal that dropped a first-degree count. At the sentencing, Judge Mary Mahler gave Coleman credit for 782 days already served.

According to court documents, police responded to gunfire about 8 p.m. on May 24, 2022, and found Batsche lying in a pool of blood inside the back door of a home in the 1200 block of 10th Avenue S. He was taken to St. Cloud Hospital, where he died.

A video recording from the residence captured footage of Coleman and St. Cloud resident Alphonso D. Cotto, 44, near a detached garage and a gunshot being fired at about 7:40 p.m. Authorities found nine cartridge casings outside the home.

Batsche's girlfriend told police that Cotto was angry at Batsche and had argued with him several times in the days before the shooting. Text messages between the men show Batsche reportedly owed Cotto money for drugs and a firearm, documents state.

The investigation showed Cotto and Coleman had known each other for about a year at the time of the shooting; Coleman told police he drove Cotto to Batsche's residence on May 24 to "help Cotto and make sure Cotto was OK," court documents state.

In May, Cotto was sentenced to 23 years in prison.